Being a part of the Soviet Empire when the Berlin Wall fell Kazakhstan declared itself an independent democracy but not having much of a history of democracy it quickly slipped back into the comfortable ways of totalitarianism. It was the 19July2018 murder of Kazak 25-year-old figure skating Olympic bronze medalist (Sochi 2018 Olympics) Denis TenContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: HOT DOCS 2024: “Qoryqpa” (Streets Loud with Echoes)”
Author Archives: Robert K Stephen (CSW)
RKS 2024 Film: “What are you supposed to do with your hands?”: Be Yourself or Be Controlled Like a Puppet?
Crazy8’s has been organizing 8-day filmmaking challenges since 1999. Those filmmakers selected after a successful pitch are given 8 days to produce a short. On 20April2024 all 6 selected finalists present their short in Vancouver followed by a gala evening. In “What are supposed to do with your hands?” anxiety ridden and later in lifeContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “What are you supposed to do with your hands?”: Be Yourself or Be Controlled Like a Puppet?”
RKS 2024 Film: “Accidental Texan”: Zorba the Greek Meets Good Old American Values
“Accidental Texan” is one of those feel-good movies and we all require one of those every once in awhile. Erwin Vandemeer (Rudy Pankow) is an aspiring actor on his first substantial role filming in New Orleans but he destroys the opening scene and is promptly fired. His agent drops him. His acting career may beContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Accidental Texan”: Zorba the Greek Meets Good Old American Values”
RKS 2024 Film: “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World”: A Wild Ride Through Bucharest and Romanian History! A New Cult Film?
Radu Jude’s “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World” is a Romanian feature film replete with satire, a full panoply of Romanian music and implicit comparisons of modern Romania to Ceausescu’s communist Romania. Angela (Ilinca Manoache) is a production assistant for a Romanian film production company in Bucharest specializing in “corporateContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World”: A Wild Ride Through Bucharest and Romanian History! A New Cult Film?”
RKS 2024 Film: “Toe Pick”: All Chelsea Wants to do is Skate!
Crazy8’s has been organizing 8-day filmmaking challenges since 1999. Those filmmakers selected after a successful pitch are given 8 days to produce a short. On 20April2024 all 6 selected finalists present their short in Vancouver followed by a gala evening. Preteen Chelsea (Nylee Phinney) is somewhat hefty for the typical figure skater yet she isContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Toe Pick”: All Chelsea Wants to do is Skate!”
RKS 2024 Film: “Gone Abroad”: Death: A Full Range of Emotions Deftly Portrayed: Crazy8’s Shorts Challenge
Crazy8’s has been organizing 8-day filmmaking challenges since 1999. Those filmmakers selected after a successful pitch are given 8 days to produce a short. On 20April2024 all 6 selected finalists present their short in Vancouver followed by a gala evening. Death literally stares you in the face as the film opens. Someone has died andContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Gone Abroad”: Death: A Full Range of Emotions Deftly Portrayed: Crazy8’s Shorts Challenge”
RKS 2024 Wine: Trustworthy Oregon for Pinot Noir? A Vacant Faced Zombie
The way tastings have been progressing this year Oregon scores high with Pinot Noir quality and has been doing so for years leaps and bounds over New Zealand Pinot Noir. From Christopher Michael Wines from Tualatin, Oregon we try a Christopher Michael 2022 Pinot Noir. Aroma: Strawberry, raspberry and a streak of milk chocolate. Palate:Continue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Trustworthy Oregon for Pinot Noir? A Vacant Faced Zombie”
RKS 2024 Film: HOT DOCS 2024: “A Mother Apart”: Rejection, Trauma and Mother Hunting
The documentary “A Mother Apart” chronicles the trauma suffered by Staceyann Chin as the result of abandonment by her mother Hazel who left her behind in Jamaica to be raised by extended family members when she departed for Montreal. Poet, actor, and performing artist Staceyann Chin is the author of the new poetry collection Crossfire: AContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: HOT DOCS 2024: “A Mother Apart”: Rejection, Trauma and Mother Hunting”
RKS 2024 Wine: A Grenache from Spain’s Calatayud Region
Grenache is king in Calatayud’s high-altitude vineyards. This Evodia Grenache is from grapes picked at 2,400-3,000 feet and grown in slate soils. A modest statement on the label states, “Grenache this great usually goes for twice the price.” Aroma: Big fat almost overripe strawberries, some raspberry and black cherry. Palate: One of those red winesContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: A Grenache from Spain’s Calatayud Region”
RKS Literature: The Modern Surgeon: (William S. Burroughs)
“Dr. Benway: ‘You young squirts couldn’t lance a pimple without an electric vibrating scalpel with automatic drain and suture…Soon we’ll be operating by remote control on patients we never see…We’ll be nothing but button pushers. All the skill is going out of surgery….All the know-how and make-do…Did I ever tell you about the time IContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Modern Surgeon: (William S. Burroughs)”
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