Author: Mike Szymanski

Movie Review, Classic

A Fitting Tribute to a Legend in the documentary “Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview”

Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview Rating: 9/10 Director and Writer: Rick Pamplin Style: Documentary Time: 103 minutes Trailer: www.imdb.com/video/vi4087333913 Review by Mike Szymanski The first time I was lucky enough to meet Burt Reynolds and interview him as an entertainment journalist, he sized me up and guessed my age and said, “You probably made out during ‘Smokey and the Bandit.’ “ I blushed and recalled my … Continue reading A Fitting Tribute to a Legend in the documentary “Burt Reynolds: The Last Interview”

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Comedy, Social Issues

A Dark Comedy with Irrepressible Kids is Family Fun in ‘Daddy’s Divas’

Daddy’s Divas Rating: 7/10 Directors: David Tittone Writers: David Torre and David Tittone Style: Comedy Time: 20 minutes Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=xHo2XOQ2zlA Review by Mike Szymanski This series of short, clever and funny stories about a widower and his three girls are about 20 minutes long each, and they are cute and enjoyable for the entire family. It’s hard to find edgy family comedy like this today. … Continue reading A Dark Comedy with Irrepressible Kids is Family Fun in ‘Daddy’s Divas’

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Movie Review

If You Love B Horror Flicks You’ll Get Sucked Into ‘Mind Leech’

Mind Leech Rating: 8/10 Directors: Chris Cheeseman and Paul Krysinski Style: Horror/Comedy Time: 61 minutes Website: https://www.mindleech.com Review by Mike Szymanski If you love kitschy B-horror movies that are almost as funny as they are scary, you will easily get sucked into “Mind Leech.” I am one of those critics who loves to watch the B-horror Roger Corman-ish films over and over again, and I love … Continue reading If You Love B Horror Flicks You’ll Get Sucked Into ‘Mind Leech’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

Some Powerful Film Finds at Slamdance 2023

By Mike Szymanski Don’t think of Slam Dance as an also-ran to Sundance! It is established by a wild bunch of filmmakers who wanted to showcase the unfiltered voice of independent artists, Slamdance is an ongoing experiment that has proven, year after year, when it comes to recognizing talent and launching careers, the independent and grassroots film communities can do it themselves. This year, Slamdance happened from … Continue reading Some Powerful Film Finds at Slamdance 2023

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

Sweet Romantic Connections Weave through ‘The Seasons — Four Love Stories’

The Seasons — Four Love Stories Rating: 8/10 Director and Writer: Paul Schwartz Style: Romance Time: 82 minutes Trailer: https://www.vimeo.com/745909945 Website: https://www.paulschwartz.com/new-page-1 Romantic films are tough sells these days, because they tend to sway toward the schmaltzy, ridiculous and painfully obvious. Not so here. This series of beautiful and simple love stories not only give us hope for the future, but hope for romantic movies. And it’s … Continue reading Sweet Romantic Connections Weave through ‘The Seasons — Four Love Stories’

Mike Szymanski
Cultural Arts, Cultural issues, Healthy Living, Movie Review

Take a Big Bite Out of ‘Love Charlie, The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter’

Love Charlie, The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter Rating: 6/10 Director and Writer: Rebecca Halpern Style: Documentary Time: 96 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2gVkngEg2M You may never have ever heard of Charlie Trotter (I know I didn’t) but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a fascinating documentary subject. He created a great deal of masterful culinary pieces of art that other great chefs rave about, but he … Continue reading Take a Big Bite Out of ‘Love Charlie, The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

You Don’t Need to Speak about ‘Alchemy of Spirit’

Alchemy of Spirit Rating: 6 /10 Director: Steve Balderson Writers: Steve Balderson Style: Horror Time: 135 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHo73DC5gZs Official website: dikenga.com/alchemy-of-the-spirit It’s all underneath, it’s all buried within. Haunting, bubbling and frustrating all at once, this movie has very little dialogue and a lot of visual artistry. A man wakes up to find his wife dead next to him, and what he decides to do after … Continue reading You Don’t Need to Speak about ‘Alchemy of Spirit’

Mike Szymanski
Movie Review

A Bit of Gender Trickery in a Youth Classic Come to Film through the ‘Rickshaw Girl’

Rickshaw Girl Rating: 7/10 Director: Amitabh Reza Chowdhury Writer: Shabari Z. Ahmed Style: Adventure, Family Drama Time: 101 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2gVkngEg2M Review by Mike Szymanski The vibrant colors in this movie about the slums of Bangladesh make the bleakness of the story so much more palatable. There is beauty, color, vibrance. There are original native costumes in every scene, naturalistic paintings on every wall and beauty … Continue reading A Bit of Gender Trickery in a Youth Classic Come to Film through the ‘Rickshaw Girl’

Mike Szymanski
Cultural issues, History, Movie Review, Social Issues

‘Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend’ is the Greatest Basketball Player You’ve Never Seen 

Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend Rating: 7/10 Directors and Writers: Ryan Polomski and Dean Prator Style: Documentary Time: 82 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NzNpikx070 Review by Mike Szymanski Los Angeles is definitely a city of secrets and after more than three decades here, I’m constantly finding out more about the people and potential stars that came from the city, but never made it as a household name. For example, … Continue reading ‘Raymond Lewis: L.A. Legend’ is the Greatest Basketball Player You’ve Never Seen 

Mike Szymanski
Arts, Movie Review

‘Razzennest’ Is the Funniest, Scariest Movie You’ll Ever Listen To

Razzennest Rating: 7/10 Director: Johannes Grenzfurthner Writer: Johannes Grenzfurthner Style: Comedy/Horror/Satire Time: 81 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIuF40DRsXI Review by Mike Szymanski Just when you think all the innovative stuff was done involving found-footage films, or all-devices movies, there comes something truly unique and innovative that will bite you in the fettasna and tickle your roligben. That’s this movie “Razzennest” which is German for “rat’s nest” but it also incorporates Swedish … Continue reading ‘Razzennest’ Is the Funniest, Scariest Movie You’ll Ever Listen To

Mike Szymanski
Arts, Movie Review

Capping Off Bruce Willis’s Action Career with Satisfying ‘Independence’

Detective Knight: Independence Rating: 9/10 Director: Edward John Drake Writer: Edward John Drake Style: Action/Crime Thriller Time: 90 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt-hyQE-sIA Rated: R Review by Mike Szymanski This crime thriller trilogy of the Detective Knight series is a fitting finale to Bruce Willis’s action movie career. Of course, everyone hopes and expects Willis to conquer his aphasia, which is a language disorder that affects a person’s … Continue reading Capping Off Bruce Willis’s Action Career with Satisfying ‘Independence’

Mike Szymanski
Action and Adventure, Movie Review

Bruce Willis Gets Redeemed in One of his Final Films: ‘Detective Knight: Redemption’

Detective Knight: Redemption Rating: 8/10 Director: Edward John Drake Writers: Edward John Drake and Corey Large Style: Action/Crime Thriller Time: 93 minutes Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXMbkKzvpHY Rated: R Review by Mike Szymanski This second in the Detective Knight trilogy, perhaps Bruce Willis’s last film role, is called “Redemption.” In the first part, “Rogue,” the celebrated Willis’s character Detective Knight is in prison for murdering the bad guys, Winna … Continue reading Bruce Willis Gets Redeemed in One of his Final Films: ‘Detective Knight: Redemption’

Mike Szymanski
Action and Adventure, Artist on the Rise, Arts, Movie Review, Suspense/Thriller

You Will Want to Give in to These ‘Toxic Impulses’

Toxic Impulses Rating: 8/10 Director: Kyle Schadt Writer: Kyle Schadt Style: Thriller Time: 89 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peAqVQjqspU Review by Mike Szymanski “Toxic Impulses” is truly one of the best examples of a modern film noir thriller than any movie that has been made in a long time. Film noir (or “dark film” in French) is characterized by stark lighting, unkempt anti-heroes, twisting plot lines, and heavy … Continue reading You Will Want to Give in to These ‘Toxic Impulses’

Mike Szymanski
Artist on the Rise, Arts, Cultural Arts, Drama, Movie Review

A Washed-Up Rock Star Hiding from the World Realizes He’s ‘Lost Inside’

Lost Inside Rating: 8/10 Director: Jeff Hindenach Writer: Jeff Hindenach Style: Drama Time: 95 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ipVr5C6Yws Review by Mike Szymanski “Lost Inside” delves into the feelings of isolation and loneliness we all get, whether famous or never famous. It’s labeled a drama, but it’s very funny, too. We’ve all dealt with isolation during these years of the pandemic, but for this movie it’s more than … Continue reading A Washed-Up Rock Star Hiding from the World Realizes He’s ‘Lost Inside’

Mike Szymanski
Arts

The ‘Aves’ and the Have-Nots: Finding a Team to Create a Memorable Short Film Showpiece

The amazing program in the Masters of Fine Arts at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles allows students to focus on six disciplines of filmmaking. (See related story: AFI Film Fest Focuses on the Up-and-Comers) Over the two-year course, like-minded students come together to share their expertises in Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting and create a short film that will in all … Continue reading The ‘Aves’ and the Have-Nots: Finding a Team to Create a Memorable Short Film Showpiece

Mike Szymanski
Arts, Movie Review

Dramatic Steps to Tell ‘An American Ballet Story’ No One Knows

An American Ballet Story Rating: 7/10 Director and Writer: Leslie Streit Style: Documentary Time: 94 minutes Trailer: vimeo.com/672952777 Review by Mike Szymanski Even if you are a dance aficionado you may not have heard of Harkness Ballet. Even if you are — or were — a professional dancer (and I know more than just a few) you probably never heard of Rebekah Harkness, who founded that … Continue reading Dramatic Steps to Tell ‘An American Ballet Story’ No One Knows

Mike Szymanski