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: HOT DOCS 2024: “7 Beats per Minute”: Misery and Success

Jessea Lu is a freediving champion who arrived in the United States from China on a student visa not knowing anyone nor having much money. Through rigorous training and great drive she became a freediving champion quite remarkable for both a woman and an Asian. Freediving champion I am not but I have done myContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: HOT DOCS 2024: “7 Beats per Minute”: Misery and Success”

RKS 2024 Film: “The Beast” (La Bête): Nagasaki Love

Clocking in around two and a half hours this French film is long but fascinating and not readily understood with one viewing. I am tempted to state it could be a great love story of a couple spanning three lifetimes but that is shattered Nagasaki style in the dying seconds of the movie. Alternatively, andContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “The Beast” (La Bête): Nagasaki Love”

RKS 2024 Film: “East Bay”: A Parade of the Mostly Lost

“East Bay” opens with 39-year-old Jack Lee (Daniel Yoon) lamenting his lack of life and filmmaking success from his childhood to the present day. As a child he desperately prayed to God to make him successful. We watch God, an elder bearded Caucasian, throughout the film snickering at the misguided humans and at one pointContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “East Bay”: A Parade of the Mostly Lost”

RKS 2024 Film: “Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor”: Artistic Exploration Sputters to Nostalgia Act

Carol Doda (1937-2015) has been recognized as the first “legal” topless dancer in the United States. Using archival footage including press interviews we trace the history of Carol Doda and perhaps of more interest the evolution of American attitudes towards sexuality and the feminist movement. The film also delves into (although not expressly) the AmericanContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor”: Artistic Exploration Sputters to Nostalgia Act”

RKS 2024 Film: “The Burning Season”: Raging Hormones, Various Intoxications of the Flesh and Deception from Z to A: The Canadian Film Fest

I have viewed some fine films showing at The Canadian Film Fest. There are so many film festivals in the world it is impossible to keep track of them all and I stumbled into this one by chance. It is certainly not a major festival but based on the festival films I watched great careContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “The Burning Season”: Raging Hormones, Various Intoxications of the Flesh and Deception from Z to A: The Canadian Film Fest”

RKS 2024 Film: “Place of Bones”: The Good, Bad, Ugly and a Taste for the Finer Things in Life: Canadian Film Fest

I can’t think of any Canadian westerns I have encountered so I snapped up the opportunity to watch “Place of Bones” set in 1876 Canada. In many respects it is a traditional 1950’s and 1960’s western. Good god-fearing sodbusters Pandora Meadow (Heather Graham) and her daughter Hester (Brielle Robillard) living a marginal existence in aContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Place of Bones”: The Good, Bad, Ugly and a Taste for the Finer Things in Life: Canadian Film Fest”

“Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”: The Final Cut: Reggie is Up for an Academy Award! Dancing with Mr. Gordon Lightfoot in the Kitchen: Malivoire, Lightfoot, Kidman, Dylan the Westie and Reggie up for Oscars! Chapter Seventy One (71)

Needless to say, Bob, Fay, Dylan the Westie and I were floored when we received a call at lunchtime from Nicole Kidman in Los Angeles. “A Dog Saved My Life” is nominated for the best picture, Nicole Kidman for best actress, Mr. Gordon Lightfoot for best song, Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog-Russell Crowe for bestContinue reading ““Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”: The Final Cut: Reggie is Up for an Academy Award! Dancing with Mr. Gordon Lightfoot in the Kitchen: Malivoire, Lightfoot, Kidman, Dylan the Westie and Reggie up for Oscars! Chapter Seventy One (71)”

“Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”: The Final Cut: Will Nicole Kidman Cancel Production of “A Dog Saved My Life”?: Chapter Sixty Seven (67)

Nicole set a breakfast meeting for the entire crew and cast of “A Dog Saved My Life”. We are in a state of shock and disbelief. This is no movie. This is life. After breakfast Nicole asks for quiet announcing she will be cancelling filming. She will pay all of us as if the projectContinue reading ““Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”: The Final Cut: Will Nicole Kidman Cancel Production of “A Dog Saved My Life”?: Chapter Sixty Seven (67)”

RKS  2024 Film: “Piss on Patriarchy”: Ladies, Welcome to the Esteemed Category of Mass Killer: Equality Richard Speck?

Gender Equity in Media Society presents their 19th annual international film festival, GEMFest in Vancouver in person 5-9March2024 and virtually 12-16March2024 with 14 Canadian films. The festival, now in its 19th year, continues to provide a platform for challenging gender imbalance and the lack of equity and diversity in the screen-based media industry. In aContinue reading “RKS  2024 Film: “Piss on Patriarchy”: Ladies, Welcome to the Esteemed Category of Mass Killer: Equality Richard Speck?”