There are few places more restful, more peaceful, than islands. The small, car-free Great Diamond Island – part of the chain of Casco Islands off the coast of Maine – is the perfect retreat from the modern world. The island was an artistic retreat visited by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Harriet Beech Stowe in…
French films are master classes in ambiguity. They fearlessly take on deep issues and situations where nothing explodes or hilarity ensues with a laugh track. Like life, French films refuse to wrap up with a tidy bow. *Microbe and Gasoline* is no exception. MICROBE: Daniel is the school outcast, nicknamed Microbe, thanks to his short…
It’s one of those freaky warm San Francisco nights. Perfect mood for the SF Indie Doc Festival. IndieFest calls this annual event a film festival that provides a manageable amount of the truth. Devoted to all things documentary cinema for 15 years, they promise and deliver two weeks of the most weird and wonderful aspects…
In early May, I decided it was time to go “bi-coastal” and leave my home in the sunshine state for a much needed Spring Break. I set off for San Diego in search of cooler temps, bay breezes, captivating coastlines and unforgettable finds. My three day weekend itinerary covered the gamut from boat tours to…
I am one of those people: I detest malls. I don’t particularly love shopping most of the time anyway, and the idea of a shopping mall as being a “fun” place just escapes me. Before my recent visit to Minnesota last month, I hadn’t been inside a mall in years. Then I discovered the Mall…
Insider elites once controlled Hollywood film production. Thanks to the likes of Kickstarter, that’s not always true. Happy days are here for artists who have less capital than their ideas can take them. HER: Remember the 2013 film,“Her”? It revolved around a man in love with his new operating system. Along comes “Creative Control”, a…
First off, thank you Wikipedia for setting me straight on European ancient history and the founding of Rome. Before October 2015, I had never heard of Palatine Hill or Aventine Hill. I soon learned that Rome grew out of several settlements concentrated in an area recognized in literature and historic documents as the “Seven Hills…