Garden State Film Festival Runs March 23 - 28 Virtual and In-Person: Almost 200 Films to Enjoy by Independent Filmmakers. IFC's Arianna Bocco and Actor Daniel Baldwin Honored

The Garden State Film Festival 2021 runs  this year from March 23rd - 28, 2021. There are some in-person events but most films are virtual. This year's festival features over 175 selections as well as special events. There are features, animation, shorts, docs and more. Tickets begin at $10 with $55 for a virtual multi-pass. Visit: https://www.gsff.org/

This year the the festival is honoring industry people for different efforts. Those being honored are: Arianna Bocco (IFC Films), Daniel Baldwin (Actor), Ming Chen and A Shared Universe PodcaSTudio, Declan O'Scanlon Jr. (State Senator), Christian Barber (actor), Chris Dudick (producer), Drew Henriksen (screenwriter) and ROB THORP (screenwriter).

The Garden State Film Festival was started to help support the works of independent filmmakers, in NJ and beyond, as well as pay homage to the state where many of the aspects of film as we know it were born. As stated on their website, it was in Menlo Park where Thomas Edison invented the first film cameras and projects and Fort Lee, which is where the first movie studios were located. (Note: Due to better weather and personal issues with some of the owners, they moved on over to Hollywood.)

Women Trailblazers of Early Cinema now on Herflix in Parnership with the NYWIFT Women's Film Preservation Fund: Watch films for free by Grace Cunard, Alice Guy-Blache, Angela Murray Gibson and Lois Weber

Launching during Women's History Month as of March 19, 2021 is a series of films called "Trailblazers of Early Cinema" on the platform HERFLIX. The Women's Film Preservation Fund of New York Women in Film and Television has partnered with HERFLIX to bring these films free to all viewers. Herflix is a new boutique online movie theater.

This ground-breaking series features films by early women filmmakers: Grace Cunard, Alice Guy-Blaché, Angela Murray Gibson and Lois Weber will be featured. You can also watch  a special  Trailblazers Q&A moderated by WFPF’s Founder Barbara Moss with guest panelists Kim Tomadjoglou and Buckey Grimm.

To view the programs, register and stream for free at HERFLIX.com.

Trailblazers of Early Cinema: 

https://herflix.page.link/282D

Trailblazers of Early Cinema Q&A Panel:

https://herflix.page.link/d1kN

Help Save an Iconic Performing Arts Center: NJ's Bergen Pac Presents Free Online Star-Studded Extravaganza with Appearances by Jay Leno, Paul Anka, Wynton Marsalis, Ali Stroker, John Fogerty, Dionne Warwick and More on March 13th

 

Review of Marvel's Wandavision on Disney: Unique, Imaginative and a Must See for Marvel Fans, but Here's What It Could Have Done Better

By Harry Sherer

I love Marvel more than anyone I know. That’s why I didn’t like Wandavision.

Clickbaity enough for you? Hear me out— it’s not a bad show. The concept is brilliant, the acting is superb, and it beautifully sets up what will likely be MCU’s return to theatres in Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness. But something just didn’t sit right with me as the credits (and post credits, and post-post credits) came to a close. And I think it has to do with something Marvel has had a problem with for a long time— transferring the “Marvel formula” into the television medium.

As a film nerd and MCU fanboy, I’ve heard the term “Marvel formula” thrown around quite a bit. There’s no one true definition, but it refers to the various cookie-cutter elements that the studio includes in nearly all of their productions. Before I describe some of these elements, allow me to preface it by saying: I f*cking love Marvel, and I say all of this out of love. It’s not you, it’s me, babe. That being said, most every MCU production contains: a merely serviceable plot, a likeable protagonist, quirky side characters, a one-and-a-half dimension villain, and a Macguffin. And it works. But here’s the thing— Wandavision includes these elements, and does some of them really well, but in the end, it just doesn’t feel right. Let me explain what I mean. 

The Women behind the movie Angie: Lost Girls talk about What it Takes to Make a Movie about Child Trafficking and What they hope it will Do on Alan Locher's Youtube show, The Locher Room

Go behind the scenes with the ladies from the new movie Angie: Lost Girls on Alan Locher's The Locher Room on Friday, March 12  at 3pm EST. (Available on youtube after). Writer/Director Julia Verdin will be joined with star Olivia D'Abo (The Wonder Years, Star Wars) and Producer Cady McClain (Days, ATWT, AMC).

To Watch the Show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y-N7NOxSZY

These three ladies will talk about what is was like to create this film which is meant to spread awareness about the plague and devastation of child trafficking. In the story, which is narrative fiction but based on research, a young, normal, suburban teen played by Jane Widdop (YellowJackets)  gets seduced into the dark work of sex trafficking by a young man she meets at the park, played by Dylan Sprayberry (CW's Teen Wolf). Olivia D'Abo  is her mother and Randall Batinkoff the father who try any means possible to find her and get her back. Also starring in this film is Anthony Montgomery (General Hospital, Star Trek), MC Lyte, Amin Joseph and Cherie Jimenez.

The movie is available on demand almost everywhere, and is also available for group screenings with a Panel discussion. Please see the website for details: 

https://www.artists4change.org/filmprojects/official-angie-lost-girls/

Movie Review of Minari: A Haunting, Beautifully-Filmed Story of Korean Immigrants Never Giving Up on the American Dream

By Ashton Samson

When anyone in society is called upon to adapt to a new way of life, it can prove difficult. While simple changes, like purchasing a new car, can cause momentary angst, monumental changes like moving, attending a new school or adapting to conditions of a pandemic, can be the most challenging for some to endure. Either way transitions are not easy, but this can be especially so if the people involved are immigrants, thrust into a completely different culture, language and way of life.

Director Lee Isaac Chung took this concept, along with his own childhood memories, and crafted Minari,  a compelling, melancholic, and heartfelt ode to the resilience of immigrants in wanting to retain a sense of the culture that makes them who they are all while taking a stab at the American Dream. The film is my new favorite of 2020 and if people continue giving it the love it clearly deserves, it could become the second year in a row that a Korean film wins an Academy Award. The film is just that impressive: with haunting, soul-stirring music, breathtaking cinematography, excellent performances across the board and a wonderfully-realized message that is, at its core, metaphorically related to the title itself.

Film Review of Thomas Vinterberg's Another Round: This Danish Dramedy about What We All Share as Humans - Indentity, Purpose and Motivation - is the Perfect Film for Now

 

by Connor Moriarty

I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Soul, Possessor, Sound of Metal - all of these films have something in common. 

2020 was a challenging year for all of us. Silver linings were few and far between, if not completely absent. However, one universal we were all presented with was time. In an instant, the hustle and bustle of our daily lives slowed down. Of course, that means something different for everyone. But regardless of circumstances, we were all called at some point during the year to stop and think about what kinds of people we are. And the cinema of 2020 reflected that.

 

Identity. Purpose. Motivation. These are heavy, heady and difficult subjects to address without being preachy or melodramatic. The films mentioned above manage to flawlessly walk the fine line between the kitsch and the superficial to create meaningful, authentic stories. And each in their own, unique way. However, no film in 2020 did it better than Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round.

 

Review of Finnerty Steeves' Feature Film Before/During/After: An Honest and Visually Appealing Story of a Marriage Gone Awry and the Hope for After

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

I just wanted to tell her it was all going to be okay.

Finnerty Steeves' first feature film, Before/During/After, is inspired by the consequences of her choice of a mate in her own life. Finnerty is an actress best known for her role as Beth Hoefler on Orange is the New Black.  With this feature she is not only acting but also writing and producing. Before, During and After is a dramedy set in New York City. With more drama than comedy, it works well as the subject of the film - the dissolution of a marriage- is quite heavy. It's still an engaging, easy-to-digest movie.

IN THE LA AREA? See a special screening of before/during/after at Hollywood's Chinese Theater on 9-9-2021.

Finnerty plays a struggling, no longer twenty-something actress named Jennie Lonergan who we will have more and more empathy for as the movie proceeds. When the movie begins, we see her auditioning for a part in New York City where the movie takes place. We experience the cutthroat world of auditions through the eyes of the protagonist (pre-pandemic anyway, when auditions were largely in-person) as she walks into a room of look-alikes all wanting the same, scarce role, We've seen this exercise portrayed in La La Land, it's a tough job to be an actor and requires a very thick skin. It also requires an ability to get along with your competition. It's just business, as they say.

Sundance Film Festival 2021 Hightlights: Why three of the Best in the Horror/Thriller Genre are Knocking, Eight for Silver and The Sparks Brothers

By Ashton Samson

At this time in our lives, cinemas are in dire need of help. Film fans are worried about the effect that Covid-19 has had on the industry. While some theaters are open, not enough people are attending. Even the most avid film fans won’t take the risk of walking through the doors of a cinema. This loss in customers is leading to a lack of business, which causes the owners and supporters of movie theaters to lose hope for future generations of moviegoers.

Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival: View List of FREE Special Presentations, Classes, Actor Interviews and Complete List of Films for Feb. 27 - March 3, 2021

 

Whether you've been to in-person film festivals in the past or tried the new "virtual festivals" what should be known about festivals is that the people that make these festivals LOVE film. One of the new aspects of virtual festivals is making what were once free "attractions" at in-person festivals have now moved online. So whether you purchase a ticket of not, many of these festivals are offering free "specials." 

The Ridgewood Guild International Festival is presenting a dozen interviews, 2 free "classes" and 3 events. The festival runs February 27th-March 3rd, 2021. You can find how to access these specials on the website: www.RidgewoodGuildFilmFest.com . (Be patient as the site will be updated closer to the date.) These free specials will give the viewer a chance to experience some of what the festival has to offer and to gain insight and knowledge about the films, filmmakers and the industry in general. You can access them anytime during the festival  (and some may remain on Youtube even after the festival). 

TO VIEW THE FREE SPECIALS AND THE FILMS VISIT:

https://ridgewoodguildfilmfest.com/

Movie Review: The Map of Tiny Perfect Things on Amazon - A Message We Need to Remember Over and Over Again

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

I make it a habit not to read too deeply into any preview into a movie. So I read the synopsis of The Map of Tiny Perfect Things on Amazon Prime and filed it away into my list of Movies to Watch. I like romcoms and I like meta movies.. space, time travel...anything. This seemed to check off the boxes. It billed itself as similiar to Groundhog Day. This movie has at its heart a young couple Margaret (Katherine Newton) and Mark (Kyle Allen) reliving the same day.

Opinion: In these Days of Contrived Romance on TV: Bridgerton is a Breath of Fresh British Air

 By Grace Julianna     

Writer's Note: Bridgerton is a show like no other. Hi, my name Grace Julianna. and I'm an actress moonlighting as a writer for Suzee Behind the Scenes. Beware there will be SPOILERS in this review so please don’t continue to read if you have not yet watched the show. And come back for more of my take on some of the most popular shows available these days.

As I state, Bridgerton is a show like no other. Let me start off by saying I despise the genre that is romance. I think it creates a false fantasy in the audience’s minds and gives off a fake impression of what love is supposed to be. But, not Bridgerton. The minute the dashing Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, pleaded about his love for Daphne, I fell in love with not only him but the show. The  little monologue he told Queen Charlotte about his love for Daphne was authentic and real. The couple recently found out that the Queen denied their pending approval for marriage, so the next step had to be to prove their love in front of her. Daphne started off with a lie, saying the traditional line, “it was love at first sight,” which made me cringe. But, the Duke immediately cut her off and saved the day.

Females in Entertainment: Interview with Writer/Director/Actress Catherine Eaton of The Sounding Film: Hear The Incredible Story of How This Film Got Made

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Catherine Eaton is a filmmaker, writer, actress, professor and also a director. The latter came to her in a most unusual fashion, which she explains in this interview. (You just never know who is around to lend a helping hand, or even point your life in a totally different direction.)

Her feature debut as a director and writer, The Sounding, starring Harris Yulin (Training Day, Ozark) and Frankie Faison (The Wire, Silence of the Lambs), has won two-dozen awards on the festival circuit (including four Festival Grand Prizes) and was called “a lyrical and audacious debut feature” by the WSJ. Catherine and The Sounding are the subject of a branded mini-doc by Stella Artois currently running on Hulu. Catherine was chosen for Tribeca's "Through Her Lens" Lab and Grant for her pilot "On the Outs," Her newest pilot script "Breaking News" – based on her personal experience working with freelance news crews in conflict zones – was selected for IFP's Independent Film Week Project Forum. She also co-wrote the dramedy pilot "Flawless - A Feminist Fairytale" currently being shopped. As an actor, she's been seen on Broadway, TV and film, and is currently nominated for a Helen Hayes Award. Catherine teaches Screen Directing at Harvard. We talk to Catherine about The Sounding and more. See the video for the full interview.

SBTS: I watched this movie with my husband. There are very few movies we both agree on...and we watched it to the end because it’s the kind of movie you have to watch to the end! So tell me how all this will be got started. I know there’s a fascinating story behind it.

Catherine Eaton: Yes there’s a super fun story behind it, thank you for saying that. It's super fun to hear when a couple is watching it  together and talk about it. The Sounding is definitely something that people want to talk about afterwards to compare notes and things like that so I love hearing that.

SBTS: And figure it out!

NJ/NYC Event: Caytha Jentis' New Film Pooling to Paradise Holds Covid-Conscious Dinner and a Movie

Looking to get out and see a movie? If you're in the Northern NJ/NYC area, the Hohokus Inn & Tavern, Hohokus NJ is hosting an outdoor screening of the new movie Pooling to Paradise under their tent with heat lamps on February 11, 2021. A socially-distant, pre fixe 3 course meal will be served for $45. Reservations are required. Start time is 6:30pm.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/137798305441

Pooling for Paradise is the new movie by Director/Writer Caytha Jentis (Bad Parents, The Other F Word). It's a comedy about four strangers who end up sharing a ride to Paradise, Nevada, the places they wind up at on the way and the connections they make with each other in the cramped car. It is not available in theaters or streaming yet and is currently on the festival route.

With theaters in the region closed and festivals almost entirely virtual this event promises audiences an opportunity to see a film with friends and support a local restaurant. This is the fourth Covid Safe screening that Fox Meadow Films has offered during the pandemic - two in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan while indoor dining was allowed. 

For more information on the movie visit:

 www.poolingtoparadise.com 

Sundance Film Festival 2021 is Virtual: Here's How to Fest from your Couch

Well, Sundance, one of the most prestigious and popular film festivals in the US is still being held. It's a combination of in-person and virtual. Though nothing, absolutely nothing compares with going to Sundance, having it virtually does have benefits. First, you can watch it from your warm living room instead of trapsing in the freezing cold of Utah to watch the movies and attend the events. Though I love Sundance, it's really cold.

Film Review of Amazon's Mangrove - Small Axe: Steve McQueen Swings an Axe at Racial Prejudice in the Year's Best Film

By Ashton Samson

“If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.”  - Bob Marley

This quote is at the heart of 2020’s Small Axe, a brilliant and very timely new effort from director Steve McQueen. Being an anthology series of five films that takes place between the 60’s and the mid 80’s in the West Indian area of London, it covers a wide range of ideas. 

Among them is the “celebration of all that community has succeeded in achieving against the odds,” (McQueen) an exploration of racial prejudice, Black resilience, resistance and freedom. Part of the magic is in the individuality of each film, which is fresh and different from the previous installment.

Despite their individuality, fundamentally each of them are linked together by the phrase small axe that McQueen took from the Bob Marley song of the same name. Marley’s lyric, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe,” emphasizes his belief that the imposing and oppressive established order can be brought down or changed for the better with small, but peaceful acts. McQueen’s Small Axe puts this belief on display in all five, with the best of them being my favorite of the year, Mangrove. 

Females in Entertainment: Dorothy Papadakos Talks about Her Book Entitled The Kingdom of Winter, What we Can do to Save the Planet and Why Children Are Our Hope

Interview by Suzanne Ordas Curry

Dorothy Papadakos is setting out to make a difference. And she is doing it by reaching children. Her novel, The Kingdom of Winter, has not only become beloved by those children (and adults) that are reading it but has also become invaluable as a teaching tool in several districts, and with good reason. The book is all about our planet, our physical world and it's changes and what we must be doing to preserve it, It's quite the heavy and overwhelming subject but through her writing and plot devices she manages to make it engaging and adventurous. Read on to find out more about this book and what other projects she is taking on. And oh.. find out about just how much she admires Greta Thunberg.

Heroic knights, starry dogs... tell me what  The Kingdom of Winter is about.

Dorothy Papadakos: The book is about science-savvy kids who enter a realm never revealed to humans until now: the Kingdoms of the Seasons.  This incredible climate science adventure with heroic knight Sir Windham the North Wind takes them into wild & wonderful nature on land, in sea and sky and into our galaxy where the Great 88 Constellations live — lead powerfully by Orion and his starry dogs Canis Major & Canis Minor. 

Review: The Queen's Gambit is A Boon for Chess, but it's so Much More: Read Why you Don't Need to know a thing about Chess to Understand What this show is About

By Beth Abramson Brier

The Queen’s Gambit? Check!

In the summer of 1971 Mike Turner, the heartthrob lifeguard at our swim club, taught me to play chess.  hat and the fact that I share my first name with the protagonist of The Queen’s Gambit is where, much to my disappointment, the similarities between us end.  Anya Taylor-Joy who plays Beth delivers an Emmy award worthy performance as an unexpected child chess prodigy who enters the mostly male ranks of competitive play. 

Set during the Cold War, #TheQueen’sGambit is a seven part miniseries that has become an international success as Netflix’s most watched series.  If you haven’t yet seen it because obviously you’ve been busy following the news of “Kimye’s” rumored divorce or perhaps you’ve been hiding under the covers*- start binge watching right away.  

And don’t worry that you haven’t finished or even started watching The Crown.  It wasn’t until halfway through the first episode  that I learned that The Queen’s Gambit has nothing to do with Victoria/Elizabeth/Diana/Kate/Meghan/BabyArchie, “Brexit”, or digestive biscuits.  It has everything to do with the rather unlikely subject of chess in the even more unlikely backdrop of an orphanage in Kentucky. Wait!  Don’t go back to bed.  Let me explain why chess boards are selling out faster than Gwyneth’s candles.

The Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Goes Virtual Feb. 27th - March 3rd 2021: Over 85 Films from the US and Around the World Including Free Presentations of Interest to Filmmakers and Film Fans Alike

This year the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival (NJ) celebrates its 10th anniversary. In keeping with the tradition of showcasing a broad array of quality films from local and international fillmmakers, the show will go on but virtually. Though nothing can replace the hustle and bustle of the RGIFF Red Carpet and parties in beautiful downtown Ridgewood, holding the festival virtually means that now anyone can view it from the comfort of their own home on their own device.

Film Review: A Case of Blue Features Award-winning Performances by Stephen Schnetzer and Annapurna Sriram - It's A Story of Modern and Vintage Love

By Beth Brier Abramson

We have have spent most of the last year searching.  First for toilet paper.  Then Lysol wipes.  Lately any stray Xanax that might have slipped into the fuzzy abyss of our purse.  But - good news - the search for what to watch next is over.  Dana H. Glazer’s new film  A Case of Blue is not only what we have been searching for.  It is about what we are searching for.  The timing couldn’t be more perfect.

Stephen Schnetzer delivers an award winning performance as Richard Flicker, a recently retired accountant. To fill his newly free days Richard pursues an old passion and takes up drawing classes.  It is there he encounters Amelia played by Annapurna Sriram (Feral, The Blacklist) the granddaughter and striking imagine of his first love, Marci. Neither Richard’s wife, Ellie (Tracy Shane), nor his best friend, Kenny (Ken Baltin) seems surprised by this improbable but not impossible coincidence.  Nuanced symbolism blurs where the past and the present intersect.  Pause. Go back.  Look carefully.  Now go back to the beginning.  Watch it again. You will need more popcorn.  

The Lost Girls Premieres on Lifetime March 26, 2022: A Powerful Narrative Aimed at Awareness of Child Trafficking Stars Jane Widdop (Yellowjackets) Olivia D'Abo (Wonder Years), Dylan Sprayberry (Teen Wolf) , Randall Batinkoff, , MC Lyte

UPDATE: The Lost Girls will premiere on LIFETIME on March 26, 2022. It will then be available for streaming on Lifetime Movie Network.

Angie: Lost Girls (Aka The Lost Girls on Lifetime) is a powerful film about an epidemic in this country and around the world - child trafficking. As a narrative feature, it tells the story of Angie Morgan, a teenage girl living in a normal suburban home with caring parents who falls prey to the traffickers, finding herself caught in their web with little hope of getting out. As she is caught in the ring, being brutalized by her captors and the men she is forced to encounter daily, her parents and the police work feverishly to rescue her. It is a story of heartbreak, courage and hope which casts light on a subject few people want to accept can happen anywhere. The film will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms on December 18, 2020, followed by a DVD release date on December 22, 2020.

Playing the lead Angie is newcomer Jane Widdop (YellowJackets). Dylan Sprayberry (CW's Teen Wolf) ) is the teenage boy that lures her into this world. Her parents are played by Olivia D'Abo (The Wonder Years, Law & Order, Star Wars: Clone Wars) and Randall Batinkoff (Bad Grandmas, DC Legends of Tomorrow, Relativity). Other cast include Anthony Montgomery (The Family Business, General Hospital, Star Trek: Enterprise), MC Lyte (Girls Trips, SWAT, Patti Cake$), and Cherie Jiminez (Pretty Little Liars, Nova Vita). 

New York Women in Film and Television Presents its 2020 MUSE Awards Virtually: Recipients are Awkwafina, Rachel Brosnahan, Rashida Jones, Ali Stroker, Jody Kantor, Megan Twohey, Alana Mayo, Gina Prince Bythewood

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

New York Women in Film and Television, the premiere group of industry professionals in the New York City area, presents its annual MUSE awards virtually this year. The much-anticipated event of the year which is usually held in midtown, will now be held virtually. And as NYWIFT acknowledges the breadth of the devastation to the economy and specifically the entertainment industry, this year the event is "pay what you can."

This Year's Christmas Con by That's 4 Entertainment Comes Straight to Your Home: Celebrity Panels and More Experiences from your Favorite Christmas Movie Actors from Hallmark, Lifetime and More

 

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Attention Christmas movie lovers! One good thing about an event being virtual is that you can participate in it from wherevery you are, even sitting on your couch in your favorite Christmas jammies and socks. So this year, you don't have to travel to Jersey (despite what you hear, it's a great place...) to experience the thrill and spirit of Christmas Con! Dates are December 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th, 2020.

If you don't know what Christmas Con is, it's a spectacular gathering of all things Christmas movies, Christmas and Christmas movie stars (mainly from Hallmark Channel and Lifetime). I was one of the lucky ones that scored a ticket to last year's first ever con (truth be told, I'm press) and boy was I not disappointed. It was a wonderful gathering of everything you love about Christmas movies, including many of the actors you've probably only dreamed about ever meeting. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the convention hall was filled, It was a sold-out event, but also it was filled with happy people, and I noticed lots of families,  moms with their daughters and grandmas.  These movies appeal to many.

You May Like:  Photos from Christmas Con 2019:

 https://www.suzeebehindthescenes.com/2019/11/christmas-con-2019-exclusive-photos-of.html

https://www.suzeebehindthescenes.com/2019/11/christmascon-2019-day-3-busiest-day-of.html

Review of Amazon Series The Boys - Not your Regular Superheroes Story but an Ongoing Tale That's Wonderful, Twisted and Utterly Unpredictable

 

By Harry Sherer

If you haven’t heard of The Boys yet, consider this a warning. If you like Marvel or DC, this is a death sentence. If you like political commentary, this is a wake-up call. If you like good television, this is a must. And that’s not to mention the tornado of plot twists, explicit language, and laser-eyed babies. The Boys might be the best new show on television, and the season two finale promises that this is only the beginning of what is hopefully a long and eventful journey to “streaming original’s” Mount Rushmore. Yeah, it’s that good. 

The Boys is an Amazon Original that premiered in the summer of 2019, and just wrapped up a stellar second season. Both seasons are critically acclaimed and loved by audiences, earning an 84% and 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. It’s also the only non-Netflix program to break into Nielsen’s top 10 weekly streaming shows. The series is executive produced by the all-star team of Eric Kripke (Supernatural, Revolution), Evan Goldberg (Superbad, Pineapple Express), and Seth Rogen. 

See it Here First: Caytha Jentis' New Indie Film Pooling To Paradise to Be Performed as a Reading to Support NYC Emerging Artists Theater

By Allyson Schiller

Premiering Monday, November 23 at 8 pm, as a benefit for Emerging Artists Theatre, there will be a staged reading of the new film Pooling to Paradise, written by Caytha Jentis and directed by Alice Jankell. This virtual performance of Pooling to Paradise is s part of a series of reading to benefit the theater group during the pandemic. As has been noted, the theater industry is suffering all over the country and more but they are all finding ways to keep the arts alive. The cost is $10. You can buy a ticket with this link;

https://newworkseries.com/cart/?add-to-cart=1772

Based loosely on Jentis’ own experiences of befriending a Lyft driver, and a bittersweet love story he told of a friend finding love in Paradise, Nevada, this play follows four Los Angeles strangers, each at a personal crossroad, who turn their pooled ride-share into a road trip to Paradise themselves. The characters are loosely based on the friends she was with the night meeting the Lyft driver, and“other older millennial friends of mine who, like them, were grappling with ‘adulting’ existential dread as experienced by their generation: when to give up on a dream, student loan debt, fourth wave feminism, identity, making ends meet in today's gig economy, and finding real connection."

Ten (Dix) Things that are RIGHT about Emily in Paris on Netflix: Darren Star Takes us on the Journey We All Need Now

By Suzanne Ordas Curry

Darren Star's latest series Emily in Paris is one of those shows that well, I've heard people call a guilty pleasure, as if there's something wrong with watching it. I suppose it's trendy to say you're watching some fancy French film, but Emily in Paris? 

Well I don't care. #EmilyinParis on #Netflix is just what we need right now. If entertainment is to help us escape, unwind, dream and inform us, that Emily in Paris checks off all the boxes. 

Do I care that it's several steps away from reality? No I don't. As a huge fan of Sex and the City, that  was too. Maybe call both of them "expanded" reality. If Carrie Bradshaw had a daughter, it would be Emily.

Whisk away the naysayers of this show as lightly and gracefully as Emily's dress sways in the Parisian breeze. In addition to Lily Collins endearing performance as the title character, here are TEN other reasons why I'll watch it over again. And why I am so excited that a second season is coming. Merry Christmas to us all!

Ten Reasons to Love Emily in Paris

Un. If I walk up to a big screen tv and stand there I almost feel like I am in Paris. The show showcases the best and most iconic ares of the city and and focuses on the scenery as more than just a setting shot. I've never been to Paris but it was on my list for this year.  And now we are in a pandemic. What better way to travel?

The Ultimate Guide to Your Favorite and New Christmas Movies: Because We Need a Little Christmas More This Year Than Ever

By Suzanne Ordas Curry with staff

Boy do we need a little Christmas this year, and luckily, the fun has begun! Lifetime and  Hallmark have already started their holiday fare. And I was there, end of October, just waiting for something to take me out of the doldrums of Covid seclusion and election and transport me into a fantasy world of tinsel, cookies and people sitting at a perfectly-decorated holiday table together not worrying about catching a virus as they opened their mouths to eat that freshly-baked gingerbread cookie.

And of course the streamers are chock full of Christmas and holiday movies and specials. I'm like a kid on Christmas morning searching through all the channels marveling at all the Christmas content just ready for me to binge on.

There are lots of types of holiday movies - comedies, romance, fantasy drama, religious, animated and more. And in 2020 thanks to the over prevalence of stations and streaming networks you can find them just about anywhere. Ah, I can remember the days of walking into Blockbuster to rent a copy of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas or Home Alone- actually not the latter because I think every video collection had that movie in it. It was a big deal to pop a movie into the VCR, pop up the corn and sit around and watch it. With your mom and pop.

Movie Review of Angie: Lost Girls Starring Jane Widdop and Dylan Sprayberry - Julia Verdin's Compelling, Brutally Honest Story about Child Trafficking Will Make You Realize It Can Happen Anywhere

By Allyson Schiller

It’s rare that a movie sits with me days after I’ve watched it. I don’t frequently find myself sitting and mulling over a scene from something I’ve watched last week, or reliving how I felt in other moments of my day. Modern consumption of media has created a society of “binge-worthy” works, where a viewer is encouraged to watch something, be it a movie or tv series, “fangirl” over it for a short period of time, and move on to the next. If you want something of depth, power and a strong call to action, Angie: Lost Girls, a fictional narrative feature, will have you thinking over each plotpoint days, even weeks after your viewing. 

In times of Covid, many people find themselves with more free time on their hands. We have opportunities to see inequity in the world around us, and many people began thinking about ways to help those around them. Social justice moved to the forefront of many of our lives. If ever there were a film to make you want to do more for the greater good, this is it.