Jungle Cruise - Movie Review

The Movie: Jungle Cruise

The Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

The Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti

The Story: Based on Disneyland's theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles but with a supernatural element.

The Green Knight - Movie Review

The Movie: The Green Knight

The Director: David Lowery

The Cast: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Barry Keoghan, Ralph Ineson

The Story: A fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Settlers (2021) - Movie Review

The Movie: Settlers

The Director: Wyatt Rockefeller

The Cast: Sofia Boutella, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Brooklynn Prince, Nell Tiger Free, Jonny Lee Miller

The Story: Settlers on the Martian frontier do what they must to survive the cosmic elements and each other in this science-fiction thrill ride.

Pink Opaque - Movie Review

The Movie: Pink Opaque

The Director: Derrick Perry

The Cast: Elijah Boothe, Ruby Park, Chaim Dunbar, Daniel C, Jeremy Ford, Susan Elle, Aaron Dominguez, Chris Markle, Bill Miltenberger, Kris Kil, Milo Scott

The Story: While struggling to finish his thesis documentary required to graduate, Travis Wolfe reconnects with his estranged uncle and navigates a budding romance against the wishes of his girlfriend’s older brother.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Erika Cohn - Director of Belly of the Beast

Filmmaker Erika Cohn joins the Changing Directions podcast interview series to talk about her game changing documentary Belly of the Beast. You can watch the film for free on PBS Independent Lens through the end of July.

Joe Bell - Movie Review

The Movie: Joe Bell

The Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

The Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton, Gary Sinise

The Story: The true story of a small town, working class father who embarks on a solo walk across the U.S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay.

Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins - Movie Review

The Movie: Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins

The Director: Robert Schwentke

The Cast: Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Úrsula Corberó, Samara Weaving, Haruka Abe, Tahehiro Hira, Iko Uwais

The Story: A G.I. Joe spin-off centered around the character of Snake Eyes.

Hydra - Movie Review

The Movie: Hydra

The Director: Kensuke Sonomura

The Cast: Masanori Mimoto, Miu, Tasuku Nagase

The Story: After retiring as an assassin, Takashi leads a quiet life as a chef at a sushi bar, where he secretly watches over the daughter of a former associate. His peace is short-lived: soon, he is recruited for a final job that he simply can’t refuse.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Lou Nakasako - Producer of Try Harder!

Producer and cinematographer Lou Nakasako joined the Changing Directions interview series during the Sundance Film Festival to discuss the premiere of Try Harder!, a documentary that is continuing to play at festivals throughout the year including the Austin Asian American Film Festival and the Bentonville Film Festival.

The Witches of the Orient - 2021 NBFF Documentary Review

The Documentary: The Witches of the Orient

The Director: Julien Faraut

The Story: The story of the 1964 Japanese Olympic volleyball team, the "Oriental Witches."

Stranger Than Fiction Competition - 2021 North Bend Film Festival

The 2021 North Bend Film Festival is jam packed filled with feature films and short films as well as both virtual an in person experiences so there's no shortage of quality entertainment for anyone to enjoy. The festival includes a selection of films that are in competition for various awards and the organizers asked me to be on the jury for the Stranger Than Fiction category which for me is quite the honor. See below for a few thoughts on each of the six films that are part of the competition.

Swan Song - 2021 NBFF Capsule Review

The Movie: Swan Song

The Director: Todd Stephens

The Cast: Udo Kier, Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans

The Story: A formerly flamboyant hairdresser takes a long walk across a small town to style a dead woman's hair.

Pig - Movie Review

The Movie: Pig

The Director: Michael Sarnoski

The Cast: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff

The Story: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: Hui Tong - Co-Director of Curtain Up!

Filmmaker Hui Tong checks in from Beijing to talk about Curtain Up!, a documentary he co-directed with fellow director and producer Kelly Ng. Curtain Up!, an official selection of the 2021 Austin Asian American Film Festival, raises timely topics while shining a spotlight on some truly talented children.

TwoOhSix Picks - 2021 North Bend Film Festival

The North Bend Film Festival is back after a one year pandemic induced hiatus and the 2021 edition has got a full lineup of programming both virtual and in person. This hybrid format has been the norm for most festivals this year and the fine folks who are in charge of these particular proceedings have gone all out in maintaining the fun and quirky vibe the festival is known for. See below for my election of films you do not want to miss out on during the festival's run.

Silat Warriors: Deed of Death - Movie Review

The Movie: Silat Warriors: Deed of Death

The Director: Areel Abu Bakar

The Cast: Namron, Khoharullah Majid, Feiyna Tajudin, Fad Anuar, Taiyuddin Bakar, Megat Shahrizal, Azlan Komeng

The Story: When a reckless young gambler’s wild lifestyle of illegal betting, drag racing, and brutal street fights pits him against a ruthless criminal enterprise, his luck finally runs out.

Changing Directions Podcast Series: CJ Hunt - Director of The Neutral Ground

Director CJ Hunt joins the Changing Directions podcast interview series to discuss his new documentary The Neutral Ground. The film is one that should be required viewing in the same vein as other recent documentaries Far East Deep South and Summer of Soul.

The Neutral Ground - Documentary Review

The Documentary: The Neutral Ground

The Director: CJ Hunt

The Story: In December 2015, the New Orleans City Council voted to remove four Confederate monuments from public grounds. A forceful group of critics protested the decision, and fearing retaliation, no crew would agree to remove the statues.

The Interview:

Director and producer CJ Hunt was kind enough to take time to join the podcast right in the middle of The Neutral ground's festival run and PBS debut. The film will be available to watch for free on PBS as the season premiere episode of the POV documentary series beginning on July 5th.

Black Widow - Movie Review

The Movie: Black Widow

The Director: Cate Shortland

The Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz

The Story: A film about Natasha Romanoff in her quests between the films Civil War and Infinity War.

Werewolves Within - Movie Review

The Movie: Werewolves Within

The Director: Josh Ruben

The Cast: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub, George Basil, Sarah Burns, Michael Chernus, Catherine Curtain, Wayne Duvall, Harvey Guillén, Rebecca Henderson, Cheyenne Jackson, Michaela Watkins, and Glenn Fleshler 

The Story: After a proposed pipeline creates divisions within the small town of Beaverfield, newly arrived forest ranger Finn and postal worker Cecily must try to keep the peace and uncover the truth behind a mysterious creature that has begun terrorizing the community.

Summer of Soul - Documentary Review

The Documentary: Summer of Soul

The Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

The Story: A feature documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African American music and culture, and promoted Black pride and unity.

The Tomorrow War - Movie Review

The Movie: The Tomorrow War

The Director: Chris McKay

The Cast: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Edwin Hodge, Jasmine Mathews, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Keith Powers

The Story: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight.

The Forever Purge - Movie Review

The Movie: The Forever Purge

The Director: Everardo Gout

The Cast: Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Cassidy Freeman, Leven Rambin, Alejandro Edda, Will Patton

The Story: All the rules are broken as a sect of lawless marauders decides that the annual Purge does not stop at daybreak and instead should never end.