First-time filmmaker Crystal Moselle documents the unsettling and fascinating story of seven siblings who were essentially imprisoned in their Lower East Side apartment for more than 15 years. Although the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner is interesting and heartbreaking, the cryptic situation leaves many questions unanswered. (BKP: 4/5) Review by Associate Editor Brigid… Continue reading THE WOLFPACK
Tag: Brigid K. Presecky
PREGGOLAND
Review of Preggoland by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky Writer Sonja Bennett stars in the Canadian comedy about a woman who attempts to earn respect from friends and family by faking her own pregnancy. Despite its impractical premise and use of gender stereotypes, the story slowly finds its heart while providing a few laughs –… Continue reading PREGGOLAND
HELICOPTER MOM
Review of Helicopter Mom by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky Nia Vardalos stars as “Maggie Cooper,” a trying-too-hard mother who can’t seem to let her son find his own identity. From its depiction of LGBT youth to the caricatures of women on the PTA, Helicopter Mom is inundated with stereotypes. However, the well-intentioned film has… Continue reading HELICOPTER MOM
THE HUMAN EXPERIMENT
Review of The Human Experiment by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky Dana Nachman’s documentary studies the correlation between chemicals in everyday products and the increasing health defects infiltrating America. The film intimately follows three women and their stories of infertility, autism, and painful skin conditions, along with other environmental issues lobbied for lawmakers to change.… Continue reading THE HUMAN EXPERIMENT
EFFIE GRAY (BKP)
Weighing in across the generations: Our respect for Oscar-winning screenwriter & beloved actress Emma Thompson is so great that we have written two review of her new film Effie Gray. Spoiler Alert: WE BOTH LOVE IT! Click HERE for Jan’s review (with a “Real-to-Reel” bonus section). Brigid’s review is below. ************************* Review of Effie Gray by… Continue reading EFFIE GRAY (BKP)
THE FORECASTER
Review of The Forecaster by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky The one-sided documentary takes a close-up look at Martin Armstrong, the financial advisor who used pi to “forecast” America’s economic turning points and ended up in prison. The film’s grouchy protagonist takes viewers through his journey of market manipulation, his sentence to jail, and his… Continue reading THE FORECASTER
A GIRL LIKE HER
Review of A Girl Like Her by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky Amy S. Weber’s documentary-style feature takes on a powerful new angle regarding teenage bullying. The serious message is shown through the eyes of both the victim and the bully; how they interact with each other, their high school environment, and their drastically different… Continue reading A GIRL LIKE HER
Meet Activist Kylie Angell
Exclusive Interview with University of Connecticut Alumna and Activist Kylie Angell by FF2 Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky ************************* BKP: How did you get involved with It Happened Here? KA: I started working with fellow activists at the end of my fifth year at UConn on the Title IX complaint and we were asked if we… Continue reading Meet Activist Kylie Angell
‘Fifty Shades’ Passes $500 Million Mark
By Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky As Fifty Shades of Grey passes the $500,000 mark at the box office, audiences continue to flood the theaters despite the 25% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Why? For many, curiosity is key and the wonder of how such a steamy, erotic book could possibly be displayed on the… Continue reading ‘Fifty Shades’ Passes $500 Million Mark
McFARLAND, USA
Terrific new film by Nikki Caro captures the importance of family and community in the unlikely rise of a high school running team. Kevin Costner plays a coach who thinks he has hit bottom… only to learn see himself through a whole new lens. (BKP: 5/5) ******************************** Review of McFarland, USA by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky… Continue reading McFARLAND, USA
THE GREAT INVISIBLE
Review of The Great Invisible by Associate Editor Brigid K. Presecky Margaret Brown powerfully documents the people and places disastrously left in the aftermath of the 2010 BP oil spill. Sparing a political agenda, Brown perfectly captures the mishandling of events through interviews and extensive footage of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. (BKP: 4.5/5) **********************************… Continue reading THE GREAT INVISIBLE
IF I STAY
Yet another adaptation of a YA novel wipes out trying to surf the TWILIGHT wave. This time our perfect high school heroine is a classical cellist who falls for a local Rocker. And then–oh, no–Mom & Dad are killed in a car crash & our heroine must decide whether to join them [presumably in Heaven]… Continue reading IF I STAY
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
I arrived expecting the worst only to find myself charmed by this zany homage to Harrison Ford which begins by riffing Raiders of the Lost Ark then quickly morfs into an update of the original Star Wars (now called Episode IV). With no clue how any of this mapped to the actual Marvel mythology, I just settled in &… Continue reading GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
RICH HILL
Two cousins who share happy summer memories — Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palermo — return to the Missouri town in which their grandparents lived to document conditions now that the coal mines have been exhausted and wide-spread economic depression has set in. But their fly-on-the-wall view of 3 tween boys yields little insight. With no… Continue reading RICH HILL
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN
Ralph Fiennes and Felicity Jones star as secret lovers Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan in the film adaptation of Claire Tomalin’s bestselling biography. The slowly-paced love story allows Jones to shine in her emotionally complex role as an infatuated, frustrated young woman in love with an older man. (BKP: 4/5) Review by Associate Editor Brigid… Continue reading THE INVISIBLE WOMAN