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A scene from Gabourey Sidibe's 'The Tale of Four.' (Photo courtesy of BlackStar Film Festival.)

BlackStar Film Festival presents "Shorts Program 4"

Unique tales of resistance

A program of shorts at the BlackStar Film Festival featuring women directors gave critic Jarreau Freeman a new perspective on resistance.

Jarreau Freeman

Aug 07, 2017 Articles 4 minute read

The videotaped police beating of Rodney King and the subsequent acquittal of all the officers involved sparked the 1992 L.A. riots. (Photo via ATOMIC Hot Links at Creative Commons/Flickr.)

Blackstar Film Festival presents 'L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later'

Can't we all just get along?

Erik Parker and One9's documentary looks back at the 1992 L.A. riots and those whose lives were affected before, during, and after the fires stopped burning. Jarreau Freeman reviews.

Jarreau Freeman

Jul 04, 2017 Articles 4 minute read

L to R: James Wilby's Maurice, Rupert Graves's Alec, and Hugh Grant's Clive in the 1987 film 'Maurice.' (Photo via IMDB.)

Re-release of Merchant Ivory's 'Maurice'

Love that dare not speak its name

Thirty years after its release, a Merchant Ivory gay classic gets a re-release and the recognition it deserves. Gary Day reviews.

Gary L. Day

Jul 03, 2017 Articles 2 minute read

The legend and his instrument. (Photo by Francis Wolff.)

'Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary'

Trane keeps a-rolling

A new documentary about jazz saxophonist John Coltrane keeps the man's spirit, and his music, alive. Bruce Klauber reviews.

Bruce Klauber

Jun 27, 2017 Articles 3 minute read

Bryn Mawr Film Institute's memorable marquee. (Photo by Bart Everson via Creative Commons/Flickr.)

Bryn Mawr Film Institute and Philly's big-screen problem

Big screen blues

Bryn Mawr Film Institute gets new leadership, but Center City still doesn't have a first-rate repertory movie theater. Stephen Silver considers.

Stephen Silver

Jun 05, 2017 Articles 5 minute read

Jeongin Mun, a high-school student at the California School for the Deaf. (Photo courtesy of the Penn Museum.)

Penn Museum presents Mina T. Son's 'Making Noise in Silence'

At the intersection of immigration and deaf culture

The Penn Museum's Second Sunday Culture Film Series presented a Deaf Culture program, featuring Mina T. Son's 'Making Noise in Silence,' with a panel discussion of deaf culture and language. Brittany Barbato reviews.

Brittany Barbato

Feb 18, 2017 Articles 4 minute read

Holden, Holliday in 'Born Yesterday': Melania as Billie Dawn? (Photo by John Irving via Creative Commons/Flickr.)

Trump, through a Hollywood lens

From ‘Citizen Kane’ to 'Goodfellas’ with Donald Trump

How to explain the Trump phenomenon? You could do worse than to watch and reflect upon a few classic Hollywood films.

Dan Rottenberg

Jan 31, 2017 Articles 6 minute read

Jos Duncan's four-minute 'Black Magic: Black Lives Matter Musical' (Photo courtesy of Scribe Video Center)

Scribe Video Center's "Making Haiku into Short Films"

Poetry in Motion

Scribe Video Center brought in several prominent Philadelphia filmmakers (and poet Sonia Sanchez) for a workshop on experimental short film. A.D. Amorosi took a look.

A.D. Amorosi

Jan 28, 2017 Articles 2 minute read

One of several James McAvoys in Shyamalan's 'Split.' (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

M. Night Shyamalan's 'Split'

The trouble with Kevin

In M. Night Shyamalan's new thriller, a man with 24 personalities kidnaps and imprisons three teen girls. Is it worth taking the time to meet them all? A.D. Amorosi reviews.